Motion transformer

ABSTRACT

In a motion transformer for converting oscillatory to rotary motion, comprising (a) an enclosure including a base plate and a cover plate, (b) a ratchet wheel within the enclosure mounted for both oscillatory and rotary motion, (c) a pair of stops limiting the amplitude of such oscillatory motion, (d) a ratchet pawl and a restraining member coacting with the ratchet wheel to convert oscillatory motion thereof to unidirectional rotary motion, and (e) magnetic coupling means attracting the ratchet wheel toward the enclosure base member, provision is made in the form of at least three hard support members for supporting the ratchet wheel in spaced relation with the base plate. Such support members, which preferably are of jewel stone or equivalent hard material, are movable relative to either the ratchet wheel or the base plate, or both, to permit the oscillatory and rotary motion of the ratchet wheel relative to the base plate, and they bear with very small nearly point contact area against the surface on which they move.

United States Patent [1 1 Hetzel et a].

11 3,744,326 July 10, 1973 MOTION TRANSFORMER [75] Inventors: Max Hetzel; Pierre Waibel, both of Bienne, Switzerland [73] Assignee: Omega Louis Brandt Et Freres, S.A.,

Bienne, Switzerland [22] Filed: Apr. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 244,770

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 27, 1971 Switzerland 6l29/7l [52] U.S. Cl 74/128, 74/88, 74/578, 74/DIG. 4, 58/23 D, 58/23 V, 58/23 TF, 310/25 [51] Int. Cl. Fl6h 27/02 [58] Field of Search 74/128, 88, 142, 74/DlG. 4, 575, 578; 58/23 D, 23 V, 23 TF; 308/l0 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,856,239 10/1958 Dacus 308/10 3,691,754 9/1972 Hetzel 58/23 D Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner-F. D. Shoemaker Attorney- Dean S. Edmonds, James W. Laist et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT In a motion transformer for converting oscillatory to rotary motion, comprising (a) an enclosure including a base plate and a cover plate, (b) a ratchet wheel within the enclosure mounted for both oscillatory and rotary motion, (c) a pair of stops limiting the amplitude of such oscillatory motion, (d) a ratchet pawl and a restraining member coacting with the ratchet wheel to convert oscillatory motion thereof to unidirectional rotary motion, and (e) magnetic coupling means attracting the ratchet wheel toward the enclosure base member, provision is made in the form of at least three hard support members for supporting the ratchet wheel in spaced relation with the base plate. Such support members, which preferably are of jewel stone or equivalent hard material, are movable relative to either the ratchet wheel or the base plate, or both, to permit the oscillatory and rotary motion of the ratchet wheel relative to the base plate, and they bear with very small nearly point contact area against the surface on which they move.

15 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures I l l l I l l l l L Patented July 10, 1973 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MV Z/ /V WA/ W/Vf' FIG.6

FIGS

MOTION TRANSFORMER RELATED APPLICATION This application describes an improvement on the motion transformer mechanism disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 88,715 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,754.

SUBJECT OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to motion transformers, especially for use in timepieces such as wrist watches, for converting oscillatory or reciprocating motion to rotary motion. The invention pertains particularly to motion transformers comprising a ratchet wheel mounted in an enclosure so that it can oscillate back-and-forth through a limited path of travel and also rotate substantially about its center axis, and further comprising stops to limit the amplitude of the back-and-forth oscillatory motion, and a pawl and a restraining member coacting with the ratchet wheel teeth to cause the ratchet wheel to rotate unidirectionally at a velocity determined by the frequency of the oscillations. The rotating ratchet wheel is coupled magnetically to the drive gear in a watch or other timepiece gear train, and is attracted by such magnetic coupling toward the base plate of the enclosure. The invention provides, in such a motion transformer, support members (at least three in number) by which the ratchet wheel is supported on the base plate in spaced relation therewith. These support members are movable relative to either or both the ratchet wheel and the base plate of the enclosure to permit the oscillatory and rotary motion of the ratchet wheel in the enclosure. They preferably are of hard material (e.g., jewel stone) and the surface or surfaces against which they move preferably are of similar hard material; and preferably they bear with very small nearly point contact area against the surface relative to which they move. As a result the motion of the ratchet wheel relative to the enclosure base plate is made substantially as frictionless as possible, and substantially unaffected by dust particles or like foreign bodies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A common type of electric (battery-energized) wrist watch utilizes a vibratory element which is electrically driven at a predetermined accurate (usually resonant) frequency. The vibratory back-and-forth motion of this element must be converted by a motion transformer to rotary motion by which the gear train of the time piece can be actuated. Heretofore it has been common practice to effect such motion transformation by means of a driving pawl attached to the vibrator and aligned in the vibration direction, which pawl engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel. The pivot axis of the latter is stationary relative to the vibrator. A restraining pawl likewise engages the teeth of the ratchet wheel to prevent reverse motion, thefixed end of this restraining pawl likewise being stationary relative to the vibrator.

The operating frequency of vibrators of the described type is usually in the range from 200 to 700 oscillations per second. The diameter of the ratchet wheel generally is about 1 to 3 mm. (0.040 to 0.120 inch). These figures alone make it apparent that the design of a reliable motion transformer for a wrist watch presents a difficult technological problem. Moreover, the effectiveness of the motion conversion must be very high, for two reasons. The first reason is that the energy consumption of a vibrator and motion transformer for small watches, must be low to be within the energy content of a battery of a size which meets the demands of the market. The second reason is that loss of energy leads to destruction of the motion transformation should the power loss exceed a certain value. In order to achieve a high efficiency of motion transformation, as well as reliability and accuracy of time keeping, very accurate adjustment of the pawls relative to the ratchet wheel, and especially strong materials of construction, are required. The adjustment of the pawls and the mounting of the ratchet wheel, in the case of motion transformers heretofore commonly used, are unfortunately subject to undesirable changes during operation, since the fastening points of vibrator, ratchet wheel rotation axis and restraining pawl are located in generally relatively far apart on thw watch base plate and are subject to relative displacement by both thermal and mechanical effects.

In order for the reciprocating movement of the vibrator to serve as a synchronous motor for working control I for clocks and watches it is necessary that the accurate frequency of oscillation of the vibrator be converted into equally accurate speed of rotation of the ratchet wheel. From this it follows that in a motion transformer utilizing a driving pawl attached to the vibrator and a fixedly pivoted ratchet wheel, the amplitude of the movement of the vibrator must be held constant within very narrow limits and that the positions of the pawls and the ratchet wheel relative to each other must remain unchanged within narrow limits. Such conditions can be met only with great difficulties.

Many of the difficulties in the manufacture and adjustment of motion transformers as described above have been to a considerable extent overcome by the recent development of an improved motion transformer in which the ratchet wheel, instead of being fixedly pivoted, is free to oscillate diametrically through a limited path of travel as well as to rotate. Stops at opposite ends of the path of oscillatory travel of ratchet wheel limit such travel, and pawls engaging the ratchet wheel teeth, (or at least one such pawl plus a restraining member to prevent retrograde motion of the ratchet wheel) cause the ratchet wheel to rotate unidirectionally at a rate determined by its frequency of oscillation. This entire ratchet wheel assembly in a suitable enclosure is mounted directly on or otherwise is directly connected to the vibrator so that it vibrates therewith.

Since pawls and stops are mounted in close proximity on the assembly enclosure, this motion transformer is relatively insensitive to loss of adjustment due to thermal effects or mechanical shock, and its design is such that the speed of rotation of the ratchet wheel is dependent only on the frequency of oscillation of the vibrator and is essentially independent of the amplitude of such oscillation. The basic design and mode of operation of this improved motion transformer is described in greater detail in the aforesaid U.S. application Ser. No. 88,715.

It is essential, for efficient operation of this-improved motion transformer, that the ratchet wheel be free to oscillate and rotate with minimum frictional losses and with minimum interferences from dust or other foreign body particles that may inadvertently be present in the ratchet wheel enclosure. The present invention provides for attainment of these ends.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION The invention, accordingly, is incorporated in an improved motion transformer, especially suited for use in electric vibrator-driven wrist watches and other time pieces, for converting oscillatory to rotary motion, comprising an enclosure having a base plate and a cover plate, a ratchet wheel mounted both for oscillatory back-and-forth motion substantially on a diameter thereof and for rotary motion substantially about its center, a pair of stops fixedly mounted for limiting the amplitude of the oscillatory motion of the ratchet wheel within the enclosure, a ratchet pawl and a restraining member (which may be a second ratchet pawl) coacting with the ratchet wheel to convert oscillatory motion thereof to unidirectional rotary motion, and magnetic coupling means attracting said ratchet wheel toward said enclosure base member (and for coupling it in driving engagement with a fixedly pivoted wheel such as the driving gear of a time piece gear train). In accordance with the invention at least three hard support members support the ratchet wheel in spaced relation with the base plate, said support members being movable relative to at least one of said ratchet wheel and base plate to permit the oscillatory and rotary motion of the ratchet wheel relative to the base plate.

Preferably the support members bear with very small, nearly point, contact area against the surface relative to which they are movable. Preferably also the contact areas of all the support members traverse substantially the same narrow annular path of travel on the surface over which they move. The enclosure is preferably liquid-tight and is filled with a fluid such as a low viscosity (e.g., one centistoke) lubricating oil. If by chance any minute foreign body is adventitiously present in the enclosure, the small contact area of the support members on the surface over which they move minimize the risk that such foreign body will impair efficient operation of the ratchet wheel; and when all such members traverse the same narrow annular region it is continuously swept free of any such foreign particles.

The support members may be fixedly mounted on the ratchet wheel and movable relative to the base plate, or vice versa, or they may be in the form of a series of balls confined within a cage and movable in said cage relative both to the base plate and to the ratchet wheel, much in the fashion of a ball bearing.

The support members preferably are composed of a hard material such as ruby, sapphire, or other jewel stone, or tungston carbide; and likewise the surface of the ratchet wheel, or the base plate of the enclosure (or both) on which the support members are movable is composed of such hard material.

The small contact bearing surface area on which the support member moves relative to the ratchet wheel or base plate may be spherical, or it may be the slightly rounded apex of a cone, or pyramid, or it may be the high spot resulting from cutting the support member at an angle to the plane of the surface relative to which it is movable. It may even be formed by fracturing the support member to form an irregular end having a projecting small-area portion which may form the bearing surface.

The ratchet wheel itself may be a permanent magnet formed of high coercivity material such as platinumcobalt alloy, or it may be of non-magnetic material to which a permanent magnet of high coercivity material is bonded. Such permanent magnet couples the ratchet wheel within the enclosure in driving engagement with a fixed-pivot wheel (such as the driving gear of a watch gear train) mounted outside the enclosure and likewise made of; or having bonded to it a lamina made of, magnetic material. Such external fixed-pivot wheel is mounted adjacent the base plate (which is nonmagnetic) of the ratchet wheel enclosure, so that the magnetic coupling tends to hold the ratchet wheel on its supports against the base plate of the enclosure.

However, shock may sometimes tend to dislodge the ratchet wheel from its bearing against the base plate, and to prevent such dislodgement from impairing the operation of the ratchet wheel, axial deflection limiting means are provided between the ratchet wheel and the enclosure cover plate. Such axial deflection limiting means advantageously comprise a lamina of hard material (e.g., jewel stone) secured to-the cover plate in closely spaced relation to the adjacent surface of the ratchet wheel. Since the deflection limiting means is spaced from the ratchet wheel, it does not impede normal free movement of the latter, but since such spacing is close, it does not allow the ratchet wheel to be dislodged axially far enough to lose its operative engagement with the pawl, restraining member, or magnetic coupling to the external drive wheel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a motion transformer ac-* cording to the invention, showing one form of construction of a ratchet wheel with corresponding enclosure parts;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the motion transformer of FIG. I mounted in the enclosure;

FIG. 3 is,a sectional view of a motion transformer of modified form of construction according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the motion transformer of FIG.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show various forms of support members for supporting the ratchet wheel on the base plate; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of another form of motion transformer having a ball-mounted ratchet wheel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The motion transformer 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 constitutes a unitary assembly mounted in an enclosure formed of base plate 14 and cover plate 16 joined by side members (not shown) and hermetically sealed after assembly and adjustment. The assembly may be constructed and adjusted prior to sealing the cover plate in place. In use the assembly is mounted on a vibratory member which is caused to vibrate at a predetermined frequency by a battery-energized electronic circuit, as is well understood in the electric timepiece art. The mounting of the motion transformer of FIG. 1 on such vibratory member is such as to cause the as sembly to oscillate back-and-forth in the direction indicated by the arrows 22 and 23. The motion transformer mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel 3 provided with cated by the arrows 25, 26, and also to rotate substantially about its center. Oscillation of the entire motion transformer assembly by the vibratory member on which it is mounted causes the ratchet wheel, because of its inertia, to oscillate correspondingly within and relative to the enclosure. A first pawl arm 5 terminates at one end in a pawl jewel 6 which engages the ratchet wheel teeth and is fastened at its other end to the enclosure base plate. Similarly, a restraining member in the form of a second pawl arm 8 is provided at one end with a pawl jewel 9 which engages the ratchet-wheel teeth and is attached at its other end to the enclosure base plate. The pawl jewels 6 and 9 engage the ratchet wheel at substantially diametrically opposite positions.

A pair of stop members 11 and 12 secured fixedly to the enclosure base plate limit the maximum path of travel of the ratchet wheel in its back-and-forth oscillation. As the ratchet wheel oscillates the pawls compel rotation of the ratchet wheel (in a clockwise direction in the apparatus of FIG. 2), as is described in detail in the above-mentioned US. application Ser. No. 88,715 now US. Pat. No. 3,691,754.

The ratchet wheel 3 is made of magnetic material of high coercivity, such as platinum-cobalt alloy, and is permanently magnetized. Thereby it is magnetically attracted to and coupled with a fixedly pivoted magnetic wheel (not shown) which may be the drive gear of a timepiece gear train and which is mounted externally of the enclosure in parallel relation with and directly below the base plate 14. Not only does the magnetic coupling of the ratchet wheel to the external fixed pivot wheel provide for driving the latter by rotation of the former, but is also causes the ratchet wheel to be attracted toward the base plate 14 and away from the cover plate 16. Although the cover plate 16 normally is not touched by the freely moving ratchet wheel 3, it is provided with axial deflection limiting means in the form of a disc 18 which preferably, like the base plate 14 and the cover plate 16, is made of a hard nonmagnetic material such as jewel stone, e.g., ruby, and which, since it is ground to a lamina, is transparent.

The ratchet wheel 3 is provided with three supports 20 which may be glued or cemented to the wheel 3. These supports 20, having the shape of spherical segments or hemispheres, likewise are made of jewel stone, in particular ruby, or alternatively, of hard metal, e.g., tungsten carbide. Three supports 20 of this type are provided, thus ensuring a reliable and neat mounting of the ratchet wheel 3 on the base 14.

FIG. 1 also shows by way of the arrows 22 and 23 the directions in which the vibrator imparts back-and-forth oscillation to the entire motion transformer l. Arrows 25 and 26 show the direction of the oscillatory movementof the ratchet wheel 3 relative to its enclosure, a movement which depends on the inertia of the ratchet wheel 3 and which is controlled by the pawls 5 and 8 with stones 6 and 9, and by the stop members 11 and 12, in such a way that the ratchet wheel is made to rotate in one direction (clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2).

As described in detail in the above-mentioned application Ser. No. 88,715, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,754, the entire motion transformer l is, for example, connected to a tuning fork, which imparts to it a translatory motion alternately in the direction of the arrows 22 and 23. The ratchet wheel 3, due to its inertia, will lag behind when the enclosure moves in the direction of the arrow 22, with the result that it will move relative to the enclosure in the direction of the arrow 26 until its corresponding tooth or teeth run up against the stop 12. Meanwhile the enclosure has started to move in the direction of the arrow 23, so that the ratchet wheel 3 due to its inertia now movesrelative to the enclosure in the direction of the arrow 25, until the stop 11 acts to brake its motion. This to-and-fro oscillation of the ratchet wheel 3 in its enclosure occurs at the frequency with which the tuning fork or other vibrator oscillates. During this to-and-fro motion of the ratchet wheel 3 the pawl stones 6 and 9 of the pawls 5 and 8 engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 3, whereby during movement of the ratchet wheel 3 in one direction it is pivoted on one of the pawl stones as fixed point, and during movement in the other direction the corresponding edge of the other pawl stone serves as the fixed point for the pivoting of the ratchet wheel 3, so that the ratchet wheel 3 is caused to execute a unidirectional rotary motion; that is, the back-and-forth oscillatory motion of the motion transformer assembly is converted by the action of the ratchet and pawls wheel into rotary motion of the ratchet wheel.

It is quite obvious that this rotary motion must take place with as little frictional and other losses as possible. Accordingly, the contact surface between ratchet wheel and base plate is designed as small as possible, approaching point contacts. Because the weights here involved are so small, this can be done without difficulty, for even with nearly point contacts the contact pressures will remain exceedingly small.

In order to reduce to a minimum the probability that due to some foreign body (a dust particle, for example) a high resistance will be developed between the relatively moving bearing surfaces, not only are the contact surfaces kept at a minimum with respect to their number and size, but these contact surfaces are arranged in such a way that in the course of the movement of the ratchet wheel on the base plate the annular path traversed by the contact surfaces is as narrow as possible, with the result that a self-cleaning of this path is assured by the motion of the separate support members over it.

In this connection reference is made to FIGS. 5 to 7, which show alternative forms of support members having small, point-like, contact bearing surfaces and which may be employed in place of the hemispherical support members 20 of FIGS. 1 and 2. The support members of FIG. 5 substantially conical with a rounded apex which forms the contact bearing surface. The support member of FIG. 6 is a pyramid which is truncated at an angle to its base, leaving a point-like apex at one edge to serve as the bearing surface. In FIG. 7 is shown a cylindrical support member which has been cut at one end at an acute angle to its axis to form a point-like support surface where the obliquelyj cut end intersects the longest part of the cylindrical surface. Many other forms of. support members presenting a very small, nearly point contact, surface for sliding motion support of the ratchet wheel on the base plate will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The ratchet wheel 3, when it is designed as shown in FIG. 1 as a single metallic element, must be made of a high coercivity permanent magnet material, e.g., platinum-cobalt alloy, which permits the magnetic transmission of the rotary motion of the ratchet wheel 3 to an external gear unit (not shown) arranged outside. the housing. This external gear, in the case of a clock, is arranged on a fixed pivot mounting inside the clockwork housing in close proximity to the base plate 14; and it must itself be magnetically attracted by the ratchet wheel magnet so as to be driven thereby, and coincidentally to attract the ratchet wheel toward the base plate.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show more or less diagrammatically another form of motion transformer according to the invention. In this modification a ratchet wheel assembly comprises a ratchet wheel 32, which may be made of non-magnetic beryllium bronze, to which a permanently magnetized wheel or disc 33, preferably made of platinum-cobalt alloy, is adhesively bonded. A hard lamina 34 is adhesively bonded to the magnet disc 33. This lamina preferably is made of ruby or other jewel stone, or of hard metal such as tungsten carbide or the like.

A base plate 36 forming part of an enclosure for the ratchet wheel assembly is provided with three support members 38 in the form of truncated pyramids as shown in FIG. 6., but these support members may be of any other desired configuration. They are attached to the base plate, for example, by being glued or cemented thereon. Here the lamina 34 of the ratchet wheel assembly rides on the supports members 38, toward which it is attracted by magnetic coupling to a fixed-pivot wheel (not shown) mounted parallel to and just below the base plate 36. The members 38 provide almost point contact support for the ratchet wheel assembly, and the width of the annular path of travel 39 of the support members on the lamina 34 is very small.

In this form of construction only one pawl 42 with a pawl stone 43 is provided. This pawl 42 contributes to the conversion of the to-and-fro motion of the ratchet wheel 32 into a rotary motion. A restraining member 45 functions as friction brake to prevent retrograde motion of the ratchet wheel 32 during the time the pawl stone 43 is not engaging a tooth flank of the ratchet wheel 32. Otherwise the design of FIGS. 3 and 41 is the same as that in accordance with FIG. 1 and 2.

In the form of construction shown in FIG. 8, a base plate 48 is provided with external and internal ball cage elements 50 and 51 respectively, preferably made of jewel stone. The ratchet wheel 53 is cemented to a magnet disc 54, and the latter carries a ruby lamina 55 by which the ratchet wheel assembly is supported by balls 56, preferably made of ruby or other jewel stone, on the base plate 48. As in the other embodiments described, the magnetic disc 54 couples the ratchet wheel in driving relation to an external fixed pivot magnetic wheel (not shown) positioned parallel to and just below the base plate, and also attracts the ratchet wheel assembly toward the base plate. In this embodiment the balls 56 and ball cage elements 50 and 51 serve effectively as a ball bearing support for the ratchet wheel assembly. Although it is possible in principle, it is not preferred to arrange-the support members (of the structures of FIGS. 1 to 4 especially) in such a way that each of them traverses a different path of travel than the others, for then the probability of a contamination impeding the free movement of the ratchet wheel will increase. Since the surface pressures exerted by the tiny bearing surfaces of the support members, as already mentioned, are exceedingly small, thereis no substantial danger of a premture wear of even a very narrow path of travel of the support members on the surface over which they slide.

The axial deflection limiting means provided for on the cover plate (18 in FIG. 1, and comparable means in the other structures shown) serves to protect the ratchet wheel from dislocation by shock and impact movements to which the mechanism may be subjected. Although not shown in the drawings, the ratchet wheel may carry a corresponding deflection lamina, likewise preferably consisting of ruby or other jewel stone, to receive the impact of the axial deflection limiting means 18, thus avoiding any damage to the ratchet wheel when shock displaces it from its normal support on the base plate. The described invention makes it possible to maintain the ratchet wheel and pawl hermetically sealed and immersed in a lubricant liquid the viscosity of which need not meet any to strict requirements and may range up to 5 centistokes. The herein described motion transformer is extremely simple. The effects of contamination and the resulting irregularities in running, wear and energy consumption are very small due to the small contact surfaces.

We claim:

1. In a motion transformer for converting oscillatory motion to rotary motion comprising an enclosure including a base plate and a cover plate, a ratchet wheel within said enclosure mounted both for oscillatory back-and-forth motion substantially on a diameter thereof and for rotary motion substantially about its center, apair of stops fixedly mounted for limiting the amplitude of the oscillatory motion of the ratchet wheel within the enclosure, a ratchet pawl and a restraining member coacting with said ratchet wheel to convert oscillatory motion thereof to unidirectional rotary motion, and magnetic coupling means attracting said ratchet wheel toward said enclosure base member, the improvement comrpising at least three hard support members supporting said ratchet wheel in spaced relation with the base plate, said support members being movable relative to at least one of said ratchet wheel and base plate to permit the oscillatory and rotary motion of the ratchet wheel relative to the base plate.

2. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the contact areas of all the support members traverse substantially the same annular path of travel.

3. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the support members are fixedly mounted on the ratchet wheel and are movable relative to the base plate.

4. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the support members are fixedly mounted on the base plate and are movable relative to the ratchet wheel.

5. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the support members are a series of balls confined within a cage and are movable in'said cage relative to both the base plate andthe ratchet wheel.

6. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the surface relative to which the support members are movable is composed of a hard material of the group consisting of jewel stone and tungsten carbide.

7. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the support members are composed of a hard material of the group consisting of jewel stone and tungsten carbide.

8. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the bearing surface of the support member is substantially spherical.

9. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the bearing surface of the support member is the slightly rounded apex of acone.

10. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the bearing surface of the support member is the high spot resulting from cutting the support member at an angle to the plane of the surface relative to which it is movable.

11. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the ratchet wheel is composed of high coercivity permanent magnet material.

12. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the ratchet wheel comprises a toothed ratchet wheel bonded to a lamina of high coercivity permanent magnet material.

13. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein axial deflection limiting means are provided ketween the ratchet wheel and the enclosure cover plate and prevent substantial axial movement of the ratchet wheel away from its support on the encolosure base plate.

14. A motion transformer according to claim 12 wherein the axial deflection limiting means comprises a lamina of hard material secured to the cover plate in closely spaced relation to teh adjacent surface of the ratchet wheel.

15. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the restraining member is a second ratchet pawl. 

1. In a motion transformer for converting oscillatory motion to rotary motion comprising an enclosure including a base plate and a cover plate, a ratchet wheel within said enclosure mounted both for oscillatory back-and-forth motion substantially on a diameter thereof and for rotary motion substantially about its center, a pair of stops fixedly mounted for limiting the amplitude of the oscillatory motion of the ratchet wheel within the enclosure, a ratchet pawl and a restraining member coacting with said ratchet wheel to convert oscillatory motion thereof to unidirectional rotary motion, and magnetic coupling means attracting said ratchet wheel toward said enclosure base member, the improvement comprising at least three hard support members supporting said ratchet wheel in spaced relation with the base plate, said support members being movable relative to at least one of said ratchet wheel and base plate to permit the oscillatory and rotary motion of the ratchet wheel relative to the base plate.
 2. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the contact areas of all the support members traverse substantially the same annular path of travel.
 3. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the supporT members are fixedly mounted on the ratchet wheel and are movable relative to the base plate.
 4. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the support members are fixedly mounted on the base plate and are movable relative to the ratchet wheel.
 5. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the support members are a series of balls confined within a cage and are movable in said cage relative to both the base plate and the ratchet wheel.
 6. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the surface relative to which the support members are movable is composed of a hard material of the group consisting of jewel stone and tungsten carbide.
 7. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the support members are composed of a hard material of the group consisting of jewel stone and tungsten carbide.
 8. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the bearing surface of the support member is substantially spherical.
 9. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the bearing surface of the support member is the slightly rounded apex of a cone.
 10. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the bearing surface of the support member is the high spot resulting from cutting the support member at an angle to the plane of the surface relative to which it is movable.
 11. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the ratchet wheel is composed of high coercivity permanent magnet material.
 12. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the ratchet wheel comprises a toothed ratchet wheel bonded to a lamina of high coercivity permanent magnet material.
 13. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein axial deflection limiting means are provided between the ratchet wheel enclosure and the enclosure cover plate and prevent substantial axial movement of the ratchet wheel away from its support on the encolosure base plate.
 14. A motion transformer according to claim 12 wherein the axial deflection limiting means comprises a lamina of hard material secured to the cover plate in closely spaced relation to the adjacent surface of the ratchet wheel.
 15. A motion transformer according to claim 1 wherein the restraining member is a second ratchet pawl. 